Machine for feeding blanks



June 15 1826.

H. s. LABOMBARDE MACHINE FOR FEEDING BLANKS Filed Feb.

I P a E p I QZII I 2 Shats-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY H. S. LABOMBARDE June 15 1926. '7 1,588,843

MACHINE FOR FEEDING BLANKS Filed Feb. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR .5.

ATTORNEY I Patented June 15, 1926. v I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING BLANKS.

Application filed February 10, 1922. Serial No. 535,632.

My invention relates principally to feeding mechanisms such, for example, as may be used in connection with machines for folding blanks to makeboxes or envelopes or in connection with printing presses and has especial reference to feeding the blanks successively from the bottom of a pile.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which'will make sure that the blanks will be regularly fed one at a time and regularly spaced.

A feature of my invention is a pressing member movable longitudinally to urge the lowermost blank toward the feeder and preferably said member engages the top of one of the upper blanks near the edge thereof and moves downwardly in engagement with said blank.

Another feature consists in means for moving the pressing member out of the path of the blanks and raising it so to enter again into the path of the blanks for engagement with another blank higher up-in the pile and preferably this entry is accomplished by an upward movement of the pressing mem: her so as to make sure that it will properly and fully engage the top ofthe blank.

"Another feature is the use of a plurality of pressing members acting so as to give pressure at all times.

Another feature is the combination of a pressing member with upper and lower gage members, the gage members being normally at a fixed distance apart to prevent the feeding under'the influence of the pressing member of more. than one blank at one time.

An important feature of advantage is that no fanning, or spreading out, of the blanks is necessary with my mechanism but the blanks may be put into the receptacle with the corresponding edges in line vertically.

Other features will be pointed out below.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a mechanism embodyin my invention;

Figure 2 is a partial en elevation looking from the right in .Figure 1, but omitting the blanks and hopper;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail illustrating one of the pressing members;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the pivot member for the press-.

ing fing'er;

igure 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

The

Figure 6 is an enlarged-partial plan illustrating my mechanism; and

Figure] is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section of the weights. 1

In the machine shown the pile of blanks A is placed in the hopper or receptacle conslstlng of the uprights B which are so spaced as to permit easy downward movement of the blanks but to hold the blanks fairly close to the fixed gage or gate D which is preferably adjustably mounted on the frame. The blanks are supported by the rubber feeding belt E, one being shown, but any desired number might be used. Directly beneath the gage D is shaft F, integral with which are pulley F and collars F and F belt E riding on the pulley and between the collars, the tops of the latter being at a fixed distance from the gage D so as to permit one blank at a time to be frictionally fed between said collars and said gate. The tops of the collars are preferably even with 01 a little below the top of the rubber belt and while the rubber yields under the influence of the pressing member to be described below yet the collars will prevent the'blanks moving down so far that two blanks at the bottom of the pile might pass under the gage at one time. The belt E passes over shafts E and E and is driven in any suitable way and above the belt E is a frame E carrying rolls to act on the top of the blanks as is well known in this art. The blanks are delivered to the carrier belts E and E for further delivery to the machine that is to treat the blanks.

In order to increase the frictionalengageblanks beneath it downward and consequently presses the lowermost blank into greater frictional engagement with the feeder belt. gate D is slotted at d to permit the finger G to extend through into the ath of k the blanks and move downwardly wit them. --The finger G forms one end of a member extension G, the member as a whole pivotally mounted in slot h of block which has a shoulder h to limit the upward movement of the finger end of said member whose other. end is formed as a weighted and which is cut away at h to permit upward movement of the other end of said member. Block H has suitable fixed connection with rod J, which suitably supports weight K slotted at k. Extending across this slot is a pin which is engaged by lifting arm is pivoted to the frame at 70 Upon the arm is provided sliding collar having pivotal connection with pin 70 carried by gear 70 meshing with gear is fixed to shaft lo which through suitable reducing mechanism is operated by pulley 7s actuated by belt k which is driven by pulley 10 on shaft E Weight K acts to press finger G downwardly and when said finger has reached the desired lowermost point of its travel arm 7: acts to lift the Weight and consequently block H whereupon the finger will be swung by the blanks out of the path of the blanks and will move upward in slit (2, the extension G being at this time raised and remaining so during the lifting until said extension strikes abutment G fixed to the frame whereupon the weight and block are raised slightly further with the result that the finger G is forced with an upward movement into the path of the blanks so that the finger is sure to enter well between two adjacent blanks and get a firm pressing engagement for its downward stroke.

A similar presser finger M is similarly connected with weight M which is similarly lifted by an arm M similarly connected with pin M on gear 70 but pin M is diametrically disposed with relation to pin k so that as presser finger G is moved out of the path of the blanks finger M is moved into that path through slot d in gage D so that suitable pressure will be had at all times with the result that it is certain the blanks will be regularly fed one by one and with the further result that the presser fingers can not force the blanks downwardly so far as to feed two blanks because this is prevented b the action of the collar or collars on the s aft F.

It will be clear that when the pile of blanks becomes low more blanks may be added without fanning of the blanks and without interfering with the regularity and certainty of the feed.

What I claim is:

1. A mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each lank endwise from the receptacle throu hout such feed; a pressin member mova 1e longitudinally downwar in engagement with the top face of a blank to urge the lowermost blank toward said feeding means,

' said member being movable out of the path of the blanks in the pile when said member is raised; and means to operate said p essing member. v

.5. nech'anism for feeding successively member; a

messes from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle throughout such feed; a pressing member movable longitudinally downward in engagement with the top face of a blank to urge the lowermost blank toward said feeder, said member being movable automatically out of the path of the blanks in the pile when said member is raised; and means to op erate said member.

3. A mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a pressing member to engage the top of a blank and move downwardly therewith; and means to move said member upwardly longitudinally for engagement with another blank.

4. A mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks com prising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a pressing member to engage the top of a blank and move longitudinally downwardly therewith; and means to move said member upwardly longitudinally to engage another blank.

5. A mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a bodily movable member; a finger pivotally mounted on said bodily movable member to engage a blank and move downwardly therewith and. to swing out of the path of the blanks when the bodily movable member moves upwardly; and means to move said bodily movable member upwardly to bring said finger into position to swing into engagement with another blank.

6. A mechanism for feeding successively fromthe bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a pressing member movable longitudinally downwardly in the path of said pile to urge the lowermost blank of the pile toward said feeder; and means to actuate said member to enter said path with an upward movement.

7. A. mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a lifting ressing member pivotally mounted on said lifting member; means to raise said lifting member longitudinally and thereby swing said pressing member out of operative engagement with the blanks;

and means to move said pressin member into operative position after suc raising.

8. A mechanism for feedin successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks com prising a feeder; a longitudinally movable being pivoted to said member and having weighted member; a finger to enga e the top of one of the blanks to urge the owermost blank toward the feeder, said finger an extension tending to hold the engaging part of said finger in a substantially hori zontal position; a fixed abutment; means to raise said weighted member to bring said extension into engagement with said abutment and thereby force said finger into the path of the blanks with an upward movement, the blanks holding said finger out ofsaid path until said extension engages said abutment.

9. A mechanism of the character described. comprising two relatively movable members operative to engage different blanks at the same side of the pile and move longitudinally downwardly therewith; and means to operate said members in synchrony.

10. A mechanism of the character described comprising a pressing member to engage a blank at one side of the pile and move longitudinally downwardly therewith; a second pressing member to engage another blank at the same side of the pile and move longitudinally downwardly therewith; and means to raise each of said members into position for engagement with another blank while the other of said members is in blank-engaging position.

11. A mechanism of the character described comprising a pressing member to engage a blank at one side of the pile and move longitudinally downwardly therewith; a second pressing member to enga e another blank at the same side of the pi e and move downwardly therewith; 'an actuating shaft; and means actuated by said shaft for alternately raising said members into posi tion forengagement with other blanks.

12. A mechanism of. the character described comprising a feeder which feeds the blanks and also supports the pile of blanks;

a pressing member to urge the lowermost blank toward said feeder; a gage beneath which each blank is fed; and a stop to engage the lowermost blankto limit the downward movement thereof.

13. A mechanism of the character described comprising a feeder which feeds the blanks and also supports the pile of blanks; a pressing member to urge the lowermost blank toward said feeder; a gage beneath which each blank is fed; and a non-yielding stop to engage the lowermost blank to limit the downward'movement thereof. I

14. A mechanism of the character described comprising a yielding feeder; a pressin in'ember movable downward longitudi- "-na to urge-sthe lowermost blank toward said feeder; a norinall fixed gage beneath which each blank is fe and a nonielding rotary stop to limit the downwar movement of said lowermost blank, said gage and stop cooperating to prevent the feeding of more than one blank at one time.

15. A mechanism of the character described comprising a rubber belt to feed the lowermost blank; a single stationary gage finger located over said belt; a pressin member to urges-aid blank toward said be t; and a non-yielding stop to limit the downward movement of said blank, the top of the portion of said belt which engages said blank being at least as high as the acting portion of said stop.

16. A mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a pressing member to engage the top of a blank at one Side of the pile and move lon 'tudinally downwardly therewith; a secon pressing member to engage the topof another blan at the same side of the pile and move longitudinally downwardly therewith; and means to raise each of said members into position for engagement with another blank while the other of said members is in blankengaging position.

17. A mechanism of the character described comprising two relatively movable members operative alternately to engage diiierent blanks at the same side of the pile.

position for engagement with another blank while the other of said members is in blankengaging position; and means .to feed the lowermost blank of the pile during said engagement.

19. A' mechanism of the character described comprising a pressing member to engage a blank at one side of the pile and move downwardly therewith; pressing member to engage another blank at the same side of the pile and move downwardly therewith; means for raising said members alternately into position for engagement with other blanks; and means for feedin the blanks during such engagement.

20. mechanism of the character de scribed comprising a pressing member to engage a blank at one side of the pile and move downwardly therewith; -a second pressing member to engage another blank at the same side of the pile and move downa second wardly therewith; means for raising said members alternately into position for engagement with other blanks; and means for feedin each blank endwise from the receptacle during such engagement.

21. A mechanism for feeding successively from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle; means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle: a pressin member movable longitudinally downward ly in the path of said pile to urge the lowermost blank of the pile toward said feeding means and thereby to cooperate with the feeding means in "feeding the blanks; and means to actuate said member to enter said path with an upward movement.

22. A mechanism for feeding successively messes from the bottom of a pile of blanks comprising a receptacle: means to feed each blank endwise from the receptacle; a pressing member movable longitudinally down- 'ardly in the path of said pile to urge the lowermost blank of the pile toward said feeding means and thereby to cooperate with the feeding means in feeding the blanks; means to remove said member from the path of the pile upon the completion of its downward movement: means to move said member upwardly while out of the path of the pile; and means to actuate said member to reenter said path with an upward movement at the completion of the upward movement.

HAROLD S. LABOMBA RDE. 

